


Wasteland, Baby

by neverland014



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Gore, Sexual Content, Two Shot, Violence, childhood enemies to lovers, it's an us vs the world typa thing, no beta we die like men, what do you mean there's only one bed?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:20:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28680252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverland014/pseuds/neverland014
Summary: Ben Solo didnotwant to die. He was only eighteen and he hadn’t done most of the things he still wanted to do in life. He was still a virgin, for fuck’s sake.So, no, Ben was not yet prepared to die. He stared up at the decaying face above him –the thing that used to be a man had its mouth wide open, jaws snapping to get at Ben’s neck.Just then, a knife stuck out from the thing’s mouth and it stopped moving.Rey was panting heavily behind the dead corpse and her eyes were wide like she couldn’t believe she’d just stabbed someone with a bread knife.They both stared at each other, dumbstruck.Or: the Reylo Apocalypse AU that no one asked forTwo-shot
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 8
Kudos: 14





	Wasteland, Baby

**Author's Note:**

> title and chapter names are based on the song by Hozier

**day one, hour one:**

It was dark and the only light emanating in the room came from a desk lamp in the corner of the cramped space. 

A woman is hunched over her notes. _Scratching, erasing, rewriting_. 

Her eyes were wide and panicked, there was sweat _drip, drip, dripping_ down the side of her face.

 _Something is wrong_. 

There was a miscalculation, a faux pas, a _mistake_. 

She had been running tests with her team for months now but somehow, she only just caught this _not-so-slight_ blunder. It’s one she could not and _would not_ afford to make. Her findings were due _tomorrow_. 

The woman wiped the sweat from her upper lip with the hem of her long sleeve shirt. She shook herself off and decided that _what’s done is done_ and the team will have to pull through with whatever they’ve already got. 

Besides, what was the worst thing that could happen? 

\----

**day one, hour seven:**

The alarms all over the laboratory were flashing and blaring. It was loud enough that the woman could barely hear her own thoughts. 

She was sitting, slumped against a door. Bloody fingerprints were marked all over the walls. 

Across the room, her former assistant stared at her, unblinking. His head is tilted to the side and he is crouched down; his then pretty eyes were now empty, but his smile was ravenous. 

He was covered, head-to-toe, in what must’ve been Oscar, the old janitor. 

The woman let out a semi-hysterical laugh. 

Turns out, the worst possible thing _did_ happen. It was just her damn luck.

\---

It seemed like a normal day just like any other.

A girl was eating breakfast, a black coffee and a piece of toast. She woke up later than usual today –maybe leaving her English paper until the last minute wasn’t the best idea– and so she was in a bit of a rush. So, in a hurry, she chugs the coffee, burning her tongue, and grabs her toast on her way out the door. She kissed her mother goodbye, grabbed her jacket on the coat rack and slammed the door shut with her foot.

The weather outside looked gloomy, unusual since their town only ever had three phases –hot, humid, or hot _and_ humid. Looking back, the girl thought it was kind of like a premonition to what the day was going to bring. 

\----

**day one, hour thirteen:**

The girl sat at the corner of her classroom, twirling a pen by her fingertips.

It was the fourth period, which means Biology. It was a bit of a bore and she didn’t even know why she took this class in the first place. The girl supposed it was because her friend, Finn, persuaded her to take it with him. Her whole timetable was identical to his, really. This year was their senior year and they planned to take everything together so all their free periods would align. It was going to be the best, he said.

But then, Finn’s dad packed all their things and moved his family halfway across the country for his fancy new pharmaceutical job. And so, the girl said goodbye to her only friend, promising to stay in touch with Zoom calls every night.

She looked out the window and felt a chill run down her spine.

The sky was hued red. 

It was odd, as the girl looked at the wall clock by the door. It was only one o’clock. 

Was there a sort of solar eclipse or some such that she missed the announcement of? 

It doesn’t look like that was the case as all her classmates seemed to have taken note of the clouds as well. Murmurs erupted and as the teacher tried to get everyone’s attention back towards the front of the classroom, “Quiet, please!”, the sky’s unusual behaviour was put in the back of everyone’s minds.

\----

On her way to fifth period, the girl was roughly shoved in the back as someone passed her in the hallway.

“Oh, I’m _sorry_. Didn’t see you there.”

The tone was smarmy and all too familiar. She looked up to a long face, gigantic ears and stupid, wavy black hair. 

The boy – _there is history here_ , that is for certain– loomed and looked down at the girl with a smirk on his face, not looking the least bit sorry at all. He is very tall, heavily built and has been the source of the girl’s grievances since they were both about two years old. 

The girl’s mother, Mrs. Niima, and the boy’s mother, Mrs. Solo, were the best of friends. The same cannot quite be said for their offspring. 

The two children grew up together. However, playtimes were always a rowdy affair. 

“Mom! He put gum in my hair!”

“She called me stupid!”

“Well, my mom told me to _always_ tell the truth,” she huffed. 

The girl’s primly attitude was maybe always the source of the boy’s ire. She was always a bit too much of a goody-two shoes in his opinion, and he was always courting the dark side of things too much, too often for her taste. 

As they always get in one of their rows, their mothers would always be there to pull them away from each other. Unbeknownst to both children, however, Mrs. Niima and Mrs. Solo will exchange knowing smiles and sly looks whenever they do.

Presently, the girl was in no mood to interact with the boy _at all._ And so, she quietly picked up her dropped books, got up, and elbowed the boy right in the stomach. 

It was very satisfying to hear his gruff exhale and muttered _fuck_. 

\----

The lights went out as the girl continued her way down the hall. 

The girl’s breath stuttered a bit inside her chest. She had always been a little afraid of the dark. She supposes it isn’t the dark itself which scares her, but the promise of whatever it was that might be lurking inside it.

She shook herself off and continued walking. Her next class was only about twenty feet to her left, so she felt for a bit, swung her arm in front of her until she hit the wall. With a little sigh of relief, she took a step but faltered again when she heard a distant scream coming from her back.

Any sound from around her, assuming they were from her fellow schoolmates’ whisperings and slight movements, stop. 

For a second, the girl only heard the sound of her heart beat, fast and fluttering. This must be some sick joke a stupid jock decided to pull, she reasoned with herself. _Yes, what else could it be?_

The lights turned back on, _off, on, off, on, off._

The flickering of the fluorescents would give anyone a migraine but it was enough light to lead a path through. The people all around her thought so as well and movements resumed as everyone started to head towards their respective classes. 

She was just about to turn and head inside the classroom when she was, _again_ , shoved violently forward. 

“Don’t pull this shit again, Ben, I fucking swear –” 

And yes, it was the aforementioned boy once more. But he looked different this time around. 

He was frazzled and looked at the girl with wide eyes. He was afraid. 

In all the years the girl has known the boy, _Ben_ , she has seen him annoyed, angry, happy and sad. She’s never seen him afraid though, not of anything.

Ben grabbed her elbow, yanked her away from her classroom’s doorway and _ran_.

“What are you _doing_?! I have class –,” the girl dug her heels on the floor but of course, her strength is nothing compared to Ben’s. 

The scream that seemed so distant before sounded closer now. It had also seemed to multiply and echo throughout the school’s dank hallways.

The girl squinted towards the opposite end of the room and saw that more and more students were headed towards their way. Pushing and shoving, screaming and crying.

In a daze, she let Ben drag her along. 

And then, that’s when she sees _it_.

“What the fuck,” she hissed. Ben is impatient and deduces that she wasn’t going fast enough for his liking so he tosses her over his shoulder and sprints further and further away from the sight in front of the girl’s eyes. 

The girl saw her classmate, Jira. The girl had known Jira her entire life, just like Ben. This town was way too small to not know everyone. Jira was the kind of girl that everybody liked. Class president, cheer captain, bake sale organizer – you get the gist. 

And so, the girl saw Jira. Or some sort of version of what would have been Jira, if Jira had yellow, sallow skin that seemed to be peeling off her face, and red swollen eyes. But that wasn’t even the shocking part, because Jira’s wan pallet could’ve been attributed to literally anything. Maybe Jira was stressed or maybe Jira had just skipped lunch. _Who knows?_ Jira was always so fucking busy all the time helping the homeless and feeding fucking orphans that it wouldn’t even be so odd.

No, the funny thing was, from her vantage point over Ben’s shoulder, the girl, with a horrified sort of fascination, saw Jira bent over a boy, with her teeth clamped on the boy’s arm.

He was screaming, and amidst the chaos, the girl also saw a few of her classmates stop and stare as Jira yanked her jaw away from the boy’s arm, tearing a sizable chunk of bloody flesh, and then they all watched as she _chewed and chewed_.

The girl, ever with the hero complex, kicked and pounded her arms across Ben’s back. “Put me down! He needs help!”. Yes, the girl seemed to have seen that Jira has turned into a cannibalistic nut case, but she believed that that wasn’t an excuse to let someone bleed to death! Or at least, she couldn’t just stand there and _watch_.

“I don’t know what the fuck is going on but for once in your fucking life Rey, you have to let this one go and believe me when I say you can’t help him anymore,” Ben said gruffly. He was still running at full speed, and the girl, Rey, looked up from her thumping arms, to see that two, three, five more of their classmates with the same pallid appearance as Jira are emerging from the end of the halls. Their mouths open and red, their eyes wide and hungry. 

And for once in her fucking life, Rey Niima listened to Ben Solo and let him carry her _away, away, and away_.

\----

**day one, hour sixteen:**

_Back and forth_. _Back and forth_. _Back and forth_.

“Would you sit the fuck down? You’re giving me a headache,” Ben sat in a chair across from Rey. He was shaking and his hair was strewn about haphazardly as he ran his hand through it for about the hundredth time. 

Rey of course, did not listen. She’d already done that once just two hours before and it both got them stuck here, in an empty classroom, with no way out. 

_Back and forth_.

She was on her phone, opening every news source she could find. Trying to find answers. Trying to find _what the fuck is going on_. 

The _Times_ headlined, “Science Experiments Go Awry: Turns Humans into a Cannibalistic Frenzy,” while Twitter trended the hashtags #zombieapocalypse and #could2020getanyworse. Apparently, there was some sort of fuck up in a chemical laboratory, four hours away from their little hometown. Everything she was reading was hard to believe because Rey knew this shit only happened in movies. 

Ben had carried her all the way to the other side of campus and they’ve been hearing shrieks and snarls, along with other, more questionable sounds that she tried not to think about. But as the hours dragged on, the sounds grew more distant and faded. 

As Rey paced, her resolve grew stronger. They had to get out of here. _Where is her mom? Is she safe?_ She was just about to tell Ben that they needed to go, but as she looked up from her pacing and met his eyes, it felt like he already knew they couldn’t stay there for much longer. He stood up, made his way over to where Rey was by the door.

Together, they turned the doorknob and peered out the entryway.

\----

**day one, hour eighteen:**

Mrs. Niima was dead. 

Rey stood in shock, her mouth open, as Ben smashed a baseball bat against the face of a man who’d been eating Mrs. Niima’s stomach. Rey watched as the bat came _up_ and then _down_ , _up_ again, and _down_ one more time until the man’s head was thrown off its shoulders and rolled down Rey’s kitchen floor. Where she had just eaten breakfast that morning. Rey could see her coffee mug and plate were still in the sink, unwashed. 

Rey knelt beside her mother, scooping Mrs. Niima’s intestines in her hand, trying to put it back in her mother’s stomach. “It’ll be okay, you’re okay,” she was saying. Rey brushed her hand back over Mrs. Niima’s forehead, to get the hair out of her mother’s wide, open, and unseeing eyes. 

Ben did not know what to say. He did not know what to do. His mother had always claimed he was a smart ass with a sharp tongue. Now though, he found words are failing him. He stood and looked at Rey’s shaking fingers, trying to put her mother back together again.

He knelt besides her, took her face in both of his hands and told her _they’ve got to go_ because they have absolutely no fucking clue what they’re up against, and there could be more of those walking nightmares outside and then there was only him with a bat. Rey stared at him, tears streaming down her face, and he thought he had never seen her so broken before. Not when he’s thrown ugly and hateful words at her face, not when her father left, not ever. He squeezed her face just the tiniest bit and gave it a purposeful shake. _Please_ he says, _we’ve got to go._ Then, Rey nodded.

He grabbed his bat, left beside the twitching body of the man he just killed, and pulled Rey up. They walk to the kitchen’s back door. Ben opened it and they both ran out.

They don’t look back. 

\---- 

Ben’s house was only half a block away from Rey’s. He kicked open the front door and shouted for his mother. Nothing. 

He went upstairs, shouted for his uncle. Nothing. 

He went to his backyard, towards his father’s tool shed. Nothing. 

“Maybe they’re out looking for you,” Rey told him. He did not know if that was quite true. The family cars were both still outside the driveway and when they entered the kitchen, the mug of tea on top of the kitchen island was still a bit warm. Rey was filling a backpack, an old school bag of his he presumed, with canned foods and water bottles from the pantry. She was already quick on her feet, despite everything that they saw at her house. He couldn’t say the same would be true for him, if he were in her shoes.

He followed her lead this time. He grabbed an old duffel bag from his room, filled it with non-perishables and with second thoughts, he also grabbed his father’s handgun. He hasn’t got a fucking clue how to use it, but he’s got a sick feeling he would learn fast.

\----

**day ten, hour six:**

Rey’s scavenging around in an abandoned Mom and Pop convenience store. After the initial carnage, most people from town hightailed it out of there, headed to who knows only where. Ever since she was eight years old, Rey only ever had her mom. Now, she had no one. No one but Ben fucking Solo for company. She had half a mind to abandon him five days ago, as they made their way through the woods hoping to steer clear from the main part of town. She can’t stand him and she knew he felt the same way. Their trip consisted mostly of snide remarks and blatant insults. Rey thought that it’s tragically fucking poetic that she and Ben are all what each of them have left. 

Rey took what she could fit in her pack. Most of the canned foods they took from Ben’s old house have run out, as Ben ate like a damn pig. She also took some Tylenol and tampons for future use. She’s got no idea how long they’ll both be on the road for and she was pretty sure that neither of them know where they were headed either.

They’ve been keeping an eye out for announcements made by the government, for _anything_ really, that would tell them what to do. So far, there’s only been radio silence. Every day, it’s looking more and more like an every man for himself type of deal.

Rey stepped over the broken window at the front of the store, careful not to graze at the pointy shards. She made her way back to the makeshift camp Ben set up, about ten minutes from where the convenience store was. 

She walked, taking note of the leaves crunching underneath her feet. They vary in different shades of yellow and orange. The air was also feeling a bit crisper now. Rey could only imagine how shitty it would be to travel in winter. She’s hoping they would both be somewhere safe by then.

Their half-assed bonfire is put out, the embers only slightly burning now. Ben wasn’t anywhere in sight. 

For a second, Rey was gripped with a mind-numbing panic. 

For all her thoughts of leaving Ben and no matter how much she despised him, she never really thought he’d up and leave her. Yes, travelling with him was bad, but travelling _alone_ was worse.

There was a rustling to her left and she looked to see Ben on the ground, grappling with a _Trooper_ (Stupid name? She thinks so too). During one of their long walks, they have both contemplated a term to call those fucking things. _Zombies_ seemed too cartoonish and fictional, and _Walkers_ wasn’t really original, was it? Ben had suggested “ _Troopers”_ since most of them travelled in groups, walking in a march-like state. Rey had said that that name was the stupidest fucking thing she’s ever heard. Ben tripped her and she fell face first in dog-shit. The name stuck, though. 

“Ben!” Rey looked around, trying to find some sort of weapon. They got rid of the baseball bat three days ago, when it got stuck in a _Trooper’s_ eye socket. She _could_ use Ben’s gun, but she hasn’t got a clue how to fire it, and the noise would only attract more _Troopers_ to their area. “What do I do?!”

She doesn’t know if Ben heard her because he didn’t respond, preoccupied as he was by the corpse straddling him. Rey grabbed a bread knife lying on the grass right next to their bonfire and ran over to where Ben is. 

-

Ben did _not_ want to die. He was eighteen and he hadn’t done most of the things he still wants to do in life. He was still a virgin, for fuck’s sake. He might strut around school, pretending otherwise, but alas, the only thing his dick had been familiar with had always just been his right hand. 

So, no, Ben was not yet prepared to die. He stared up at the decaying face above him –the thing that used to be a man had its mouth wide open, jaws snapping to get at Ben’s neck. 

Just then, a knife stuck out from the thing’s mouth and it stopped moving. 

Grey, sludgy, matter spurted out from where the knife struck, landing on Ben’s face. 

Ben was quick to get the damn thing off of him, spitting and sputtering to get the nasty taste off of his mouth. 

Rey was panting heavily behind the _Trooper_ and her eyes were wide like she couldn’t believe she’d just stabbed someone with a bread knife.

They both stared at each other, dumbstruck.

“Thanks,” Ben said. He’s still quite out of breath, but tried not to show how much the situation rattled him. He still had a reputation to uphold, after all. 

Rey nodded and they packed up to start walking for the rest of the day.

There was no time to waste.

\----

**day nineteen, hour twenty-three:**

The government told them to head East. 

A huge chunk of the West Coast’s population got infected real fast (people were stubborn _and_ stupid), and the government was trying to find some semblance of order by setting up refugee camps in the East Coast. 

Ben was hoping to find his family there and Rey was hoping to find Finn. Rey had been in contact with her best friend, whenever she can find a place to charge her phone, that is. His family was perfectly understanding of her situation and they’ve offered to take her in. It all worked out perfectly, because this way, Ben and Rey can _finally_ be rid of each other. 

“You’re hogging too much of the blanket!”

“Well, I _need_ more of the blanket! My feet aren’t covered and it’s too damn cold to have them out like that.”

“Oh, _I’m sorry_. How is it my fault that you’re a giant, overgrown, sasquatch?!” 

Ben answered this by yanking more of the blanket away from Rey. She growls and finally sat up. 

They’ve settled in for the night in an attic of an old barn house. It seemed safer to stick to the countryside than head out into the city or the suburbs, where it would’ve been more populated. Problem is, it was freezing cold and Ben was an asshole who didn’t know how to share. 

“Fine! I don’t need it!” Rey kicked the rest of the blanket off of her, “accidentally” kicking Ben’s crotch in the process. He grunted but said nothing else as he cuddled up with the rest of the coverlet, lest Rey change her mind. 

-

Ben woke up in the middle of the night to an earthquake shaking up the entire barn. He scrambled to his feet and ducked under a table against the wall. 

A couple seconds under the desk made him realize that no, there was no earthquake. He stood up from his stoop on the floor and dusted himself off, shaking his head and huffing out a silent bark of laughter. That was decidedly _not cool._

He grabbed the fallen blanket off of the floor, walking back towards the lone bed in the room when he realized what he mistook for as the trembling of the earth. 

Rey was shivering so intensely that it was a wonder she hadn’t woken herself up yet.

Ben felt a stab of guilt pierce him. 

She _said_ she didn’t need the blanket, so it wasn’t really _his_ fault if she got a cold. If anything, it was only her own stubbornness that she’s got to blame. 

Even as he thought this though, Ben was already wrapping the blanket around the both of them. He pressed his front against her back, and wrapped his arms around her. Rey’s unconscious body turned itself around to bury her face against the space between his neck and fisted her hands against his shirt. Her feet greedily tried to find warmth, and Ben hissed as her cold toes touched his exposed calves. She let out a little sigh of relief. It is _not_ cute, Ben told himself. 

He might wake up tomorrow morning with a knee to the groin and her accusations of him taking advantage of her body, but for now, at least they were both warm. 

\----

**day twenty-seven, hour eighteen:**

"You should just kiss it better,” the sarcasm rolling of his tongue didn’t have the usual effect of annoying Rey because the speaker was currently lying on the floor, profusely bleeding. 

“Shut up,” Rey was trying her best to stop the bleeding by wrapping Ben’s arm in a shit ton of gauze. Though, it was unfortunate that that was the extent of her healing capabilities. She tried her best cleaning the wound, and really, all they could both do now is hope it didn’t get infected. 

The idiot had to go and _stab_ himself.

She supposed it was only a matter of time before he inflicted deadly mishap to either her or himself. He was six feet and two inches of awkward and freakishly long limbs. His fingers _especially._ Rey caught herself once, twice or maybe five times, staring at his abnormally long fingers, wondering exactly why the hell he was proportioned like a human giant. It was disgusting and unnatural. Really. 

It was lucky they had come across an old apothecary. Rey didn’t know what she would have done if they hadn’t. Not only would Ben probably have bled to death, but Rey would’ve broken her spine supporting his weight if they had to go any further. 

They were situated at the back of the store, where she supposed the inventory was kept. 

“We should start settling in for the night, we can’t really go anywhere with you in this state,” Rey told him. 

Ben blinked blearily at her and nodded. The pain meds she gave him must be kicking in right about now. _Lucky bastard._ Rey would certainly appreciate tuning the world out too, but they couldn’t afford to both be knocked out at the moment because she very much doubted their capabilities to keep watch throughout the night.

Ben was lying on the cot she’d found, so she rolled out a sleeping bag next to him. A window to their right provides enough moonlight that Rey decides some reading is in order. She pulled a book from her knapsack and got comfortable.

She found the book some days ago when they crashed at a homey lakeside cottage. It had been her favourite place, by far. The cottage was isolated enough that she and Ben felt relatively safe to extend their stay there for about a week. The place also had plenty of things to distract her with and keep busy. The family that had lived there had a ton of board games and puzzles. When she got bored of the puzzles and when they weren’t at each other’s throats, she and Ben would muck about. There were two main things she took away from their games. First, that Ben Solo was a sore fucking loser and second, that he wasn’t as big of a dickwad as she initially thought. At the cottage, Rey was hard pressed to remember when exactly their relationship turned from petty squabbles to a vicious falling out. She supposed it was around the time her dad left and when he started associating with Snoke, a twenty-something pervert who was held back one too many times. She was pretty sure that dirtbag is in his fourth try as a high school senior. She wondered where he might be right now, wondered where any of her old classmates were, really. 

She was deeply immersed in her book –the main character’s family were all just murdered à la Red Wedding style –when she heard a groan from the cot above her. 

Rey stood up and peered down at Ben. He looked downright pitiful if she were being quite honest. She didn’t know what possessed her to do it, but she did nothing but stared at her traitorous hand as it laid itself flat against his forehead and pushed his sweaty hair back. Rey was one-hundred percent certain that she never would have done this if Ben wasn’t drugged out of his wits. 

She startled a little when he blinked sleepily awake and stared at her, unblinking. 

He smiled a little dopily, which kind of freaked her out. 

He lifted a finger and traced the side of her face, so gentle that she hardly even felt it. “Why do you hate me so much?”, he whispered. 

“I... don’t.” Rey was surprised to learn that this was true.

“Yes, you do.” 

“I don’t.”

“You do.” 

She was a little miffed. “Don’t assume to know too much of how I feel, Solo. I’m pretty sure I know myself better than you do.” And because she was positive he’ll forget all this come morning, she gave his left ear a tiny flick. The offending object turned a little pink. She knew that he hated them and tried to hide them all the time with his curtain of dark hair, but she found them quite endearing. Not that she would _ever_ tell him that. 

Ben grabbed her wrist, presumably to bat it away from further touching his ears, but he didn't let go. 

“I wouldn’t really hold it against you if you did. Hate me, I mean. I’ve been nothing but an ass to you all these years.” 

She gaped at him. Yes, this was definitely the drugs talking. 

“I just... I think I would rather have _that_ , you know? Instead of nothing. I’d rather have someone feel _something_ at me.” He kept going, stuttering over his words. “I suppose I don’t really care if it’s doing more hurt than it is doing good. But if I don’t do that, how else would I feel like I _exist_ ? Like, I might _mean_ something to somebody?”

Rey was holding her breath, afraid to even make the slightest of sounds. She was certain that he wasn’t really just talking about him and her either. Rey supposed that the Solo household wasn’t all as it was cracked up to be, unlike what she initially dreamed up in her head. With Mrs. Solo being Senator or Han almost never at home, Ben would have been alone most of the time. Rey thought that since they were all together, that that would be enough. And if she were truly being honest with herself, this was one of the reasons why she resented Ben. She was jealous. He got to grow up with both of his parents and he didn’t have to have a care in the world with how to provide for himself. _Well_ , she thought wryly, _this was another lesson to not judge a book by its cover_. Even if it was just her and her mum, Mrs. Niima never failed to show how much she loved Rey. And for that, Rey was immensely grateful. 

She knew that this layer peeling off of Ben’s defenses didn’t excuse all the shitty things he’s said or done to her, but it did make her understand him a bit better. She also found a strange sort of kinship with him about it, the feeling of loneliness and of being unwanted.

So, really, it was _strictly_ this feeling of kinship that made her bend over and press her lips to his forehead. With a heavy sigh, Ben closed his eyes again and succumbed to sleep. Rey thought that they should be pretty safe, and she was kind of too tired to care, so she settled in for the night as well. 

-

The next day, Ben groggily woke up and rubbed his hand against his forehead, trying to rid himself of a strange but not entirely unpleasant, tingly feeling.

\----

**day thirty-two, hour sixteen:**

Ben felt dirty and wrong.

Although, he didn’t feel badly enough to stop, apparently. 

He swore he didn’t mean to see. It just sort of _happened_. 

They had found a creek and it was deep enough in the woods that they both thought it was okay to rest and have a quick dip in the water to cool off. The sun had been beating down their backs since they started walking at the break of dawn and they were in deep need of a refresher. 

He decided to not say anything when she climbed out of the creek, dripping _wet._ And he sat there by the bank, staring. Her top was _see-through._ Rey’s pretty, pink nipples were showing through her wet bra and _she didn’t know_. Well, he assumed she didn’t know. He’d bet his _life_ she would never let it fly if she knew what he could see.

He gripped himself in his hand and pumps once. Twice. 

Imagined Rey in her decidedly _unsexy_ plain bra and underwear. It was really nothing he’s never seen before. They basically grew up together. He’s seen her in pool parties or at the beach, wearing bathing suits that actually showed more skin. He thought nothing of it at the time. Honestly, if anything, he thought her average-looking and her tits were really too small for his taste. 

But it’s been a while. And he’s _eighteen_ so please, give him a break. He deserved it. He did. It was very difficult to find some alone time while on the run. In between running for their lives and killing the living dead, he hadn’t had much time for himself. The few times he did find some semblance of privacy, he couldn’t even get it up. He had no material to work with. 

Now he did. And oh boy, was it _up_.

Currently, Ben was to be spotted behind the biggest tree trunk he could find. Rey was still having a swim in the creek. That was good. All he needed was two minutes, three tops. 

He let his mind wander to her. Pictured her lying down on the muddy ground, slowly running her hands through her neck, her sides, coming back up to palm her breasts. He bets they’d fit exactly in her hands. He bets he could suck an entire breast in his _mouth_. His hips bucked forward and he bit back a groan.

Ben imagined Rey sliding a hand in between her thighs, pulling up the top of her underwear to get her hand underneath. She would be sopping wet and her fingers would find her throbbing nub. She’d swirl her fingers around her bundle of nerves, and she’d try to be quiet. Like Ben was desperately trying to be at the moment. Rey would put her other hand up to her mouth, muffling the sounds she’d make but she wouldn’t be able to help it. Little moans and sighs would peep out from under her fingers. By that time, her want would be dripping down the insiders of her legs and she’d stick one finger inside herself. 

Ben wiped at his tip, spreading his seed once, twice at the head. Pumped _faster_ and _harder_.

Eventually, Rey wouldn’t be able to keep quiet anymore. She wouldn’t even want to try. She thrusts one more finger inside because it couldn’t possibly be _enough_ . She’d say his name. _Ben, Ben, Ben. I need you._

“Yes. Yes. _Yes._ ” He whispered harshly. He was on the precipice. He was on the edge of the cliff and he was ready to dive face fucking first in ice-cold water. 

Rey would let out a hoarse, sharp gasp. She would drive her fingers in, out, in, out. Her voice would catch in her throat and she’d let out a loose cry. She would look like she’d go insane if she doesn’t come right then. So, so close. _Ben. Ben._

“Ben!” 

_Fuck._

He came. 

“What are you doing back there?” 

Ben took a moment. Pulled his trousers up. Coolly wiped himself down on his trusty old tree trunk and finally popped out of hiding. 

“Nothing.” 

“Did you come?”

“ _What?_ ”

Rey raised one eyebrow. Suspicious. “I _said_ , are you _calm_? You kind of freaked out earlier when I came out of the water.” She smirked. “Did you think I was a sea monster, coming out of the creek to eat you?” Her voice dripped sarcasm. 

He let out a strangled version of a laugh.

\----

**day thirty-eight, hour six:**

“Duck!” 

Without question, Rey bent down and she immediately heard Ben fire one, two, three gunshots in quick succession over her head. 

She turned around and saw several _Troopers_ swarming the yard. 

They had been staying at abandoned houses in the suburbs of the town they were currently in, which was clearly an oversight on their part. They have both become somewhat lenient and less vigilant recently. The last time they saw a _Trooper_ was over two weeks ago and the absence of any immediate threats also took away the constant fear that came with it.

She had just caught and skinned two squirrels for breakfast – _surreal_ , Rey thought (a bit hysterically) that she could now relate to Katniss Everdeen somewhat –and was in the process of grilling them in the backyard of a quaint blue bungalow. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, casting a pinkish glow over everything. Ben had looked appalled at the idea that they would be eating the rodents but quickly changed his mind when the aroma from the grill started to waft his way. Really, if you close your eyes and don’t think about it, you could imagine you’re eating chicken. It helped to think that way, else Rey felt too bad about killing the cute critters. 

“Where did you even learn how to skin a squirrel?” 

“YouTube.” 

“Hm.” She hated it when he did that. She didn’t need the condescension, thank you very much. 

Looking back, Rey guessed the smell of her cooking might have attracted the _Troopers_ to them, but she refused to be blamed for this! Both she and Ben didn’t know anything about the specifics of how the _Troopers_ lived or functioned. 

There were a few instances in the past couple weeks where she and Ben observed them from a distance. Knowing thy enemy and shit. Unlike the zombies from _The Walking Dead_ or even _Game of Thrones_ , the _Troopers_ still looked very _human_. They looked like humans who maybe haven’t slept or eaten in days, and were in desperate need of a moisturizer, but still very much alive-like. It was only when you get up close that the differences got to be more pronounced: the sallow, peeling and jaundiced-looking skin, paired with the red-rimmed, watery eyes. The freakiest thing about them too was how fast they can be. 

Ben managed to shoot down two _Troopers_ out of the three shots he fired, but two more were running towards them. _They had to get out of here_ . Rey could still hear the ringing in her ears from the gunfire, which meant anyone or any _thing_ within a mile radius would have likely heard them too. 

She casted a longing glance at her squirrels, but alas, she’d have to leave them behind. 

Rey ran to where Ben was and grabbed his elbow, pulling him with her. “We have to go! _Now_!” 

They ran towards the front of the house, jumping the fence and making a break for it. 

Adrenaline and fear were pumping through her blood, pushing her legs to go _faster, faster, faster._ All Rey heard is the panting of both of their breaths, and her heartbeat thumping painfully inside her chest. She chanced a look behind her and saw the _Troopers_ struggling to get over the fence. Small mercies. 

She didn’t know how long they ran for, it could’ve been a few minutes or three hours. But when she started to feel Ben lagging behind her, she finally paused for breath. 

They were stopped behind a large garbage bin, Rey leaned against it, put her hands on her knees, and felt like she couldn’t get her breath in or out fast enough. She felt like she might pass out. She was actually kind of hoping to pass out. She looked over to her right and saw Ben sprawled out, face up, on the concrete. He didn’t look to be faring any better. 

“I hope you know that this is entirely your fault.” 

Rey stared at him incredulously. Suddenly overcome with a great burst of pure, unadulterated _hate_ , she kicked him in the shin. Hard. 

“Motherfucker!” 

“How is this my fault?!” 

“Whose idea was it to cook fucking _squirrels_ in the ass crack of _dawn_?!” 

“I didn’t see you saying anything when you were practically _drooling_ all over your shirt.” 

“How dare y – I was not _drooling_ –!” 

“That back there? That would be the _last_ and _only_ time I ever try to do anything _nice_ to you ever again!” 

Rey also muttered what sounded like “stupid, giant oaf” when an arm shot through the garbage bin behind her and wrapped around her neck. A ghastly-looking hag appeared behind Rey, mouth wide open and ready to bite.

Ben was just a _little bit_ faster though, and in the second it would have taken the _Trooper_ to take a chunk out of Rey, he wrapped his hands around the hag’s throat. He tried not to gag as the flesh under his palms easily gave way to the muscle underneath. It was like the hag’s skin was made of tissue paper. He flipped her over his head, which wasn’t as impressive as it would’ve normally been as she weighed close to nothing. A wisp of the woman she once was.

There was a sickly _crunch_ as the woman’s back made contact with the ground and for a second she lay there. Convulsing. For good measure, Ben snatched an old metal rod from the trash behind them and hammered it down in the hag’s skull. He did it _again, again, and again_. 

“I think that’s quite enough.” 

He brought it down. _Down, down, down_. He couldn’t get the picture out of his head: of its mouth, its blood stained teeth, a hair’s breadth away from Rey’s neck. 

“Ben,” she whispered. Touched his arm.

He stopped. Took a deep breath and dropped the rod from his fingers. It made a disconcerting _clang_ as it hit the ground. 

They both stood there, staring at the grim picture before them. 

“You should teach me that move sometime.” 

He huffed out a laugh. “Yeah sure, I _have_ been told that I’m a good teacher.” 

“By who?”

“People.” 

Rey smiled wryly. Still quite shaken from what just happened. 

“We’re even, by the way.”

“Even?” 

“You’ve saved my life, and now I’ve saved yours.” 

Typical. “I wasn’t aware we were keeping score.”

They kept score until about a couple more weeks in, but eventually, they would lose count and could not be bothered anymore. 

\----

**day fourty-five, hour two:**

They hi-jacked a car. 

Ben didn’t have a clue how or why Rey knows how to hot-wire a vehicle, but it was obviously working to their advantage so he didn’t ask any questions.

It was a pick up truck, quite old judging by the rust covering the body, coated an ugly, faded orange colour. 

They found it abandoned on the side of the road. Suppose they could have stolen a car ages ago, but it would have forgone their incognito mode quite early on in their journey. Now, they were in the middle of bumfuck nowhere so driving would be more reasonable. 

It’s two-thirty o’clock in the morning and they’ve settled in the car for the night, under the cover of a canopy of trees. However, both didn’t look to be anywhere near sleepy. Ben scavenged around the pickup’s interior and found a full bottle of tequila in the compartment. They’ve decided to make the most out of it. 

They were at the point where Rey was slurring her words a bit and Ben was wildly gesticulating his hands in the air while he was talking. 

It was dark out, and they’ve been swigging the bottle between them for what felt like hours now. Stars litter the entirety of the sky, sufficiently emitting enough light to be able to still see each other in the shadows. Throughout the night, they’ve mostly sat in companionable silence, but as the alcohol started to flow their bodies and fog their minds, they’ve started simultaneously talking about everything and nothing at all.

It started out pretty innocently enough.

“What’s your favourite colour?”

“Black _.”_

“Whose favourite colour is black? That’s not even a colour.”

“Says the girl who’s favourite colour is piss.”

“ _Excuse me_ , yellow represents sunshine and happiness, something you could learn Mr. Grinch. _Hmmm_ , what else…let me see. Hogwarts house?”

“Slytherin.”

“Ha! _As if_. You’re totally a Hufflepuff.”

Ben had looked so offended and affronted that Rey almost spit her drink in his face.

Then questions started to escalate a bit. 

“I just don’t _get_ why you’re so mean to your dad. He’s the coolest guy _ever_ ,” Rey said emphatically, eyes saucer-wide, willing Ben to believe her. She’s heard so many stories from Mr. Solo’s adventures over the years. “I mean, if he were my dad, who knows what sorts of trouble we’d get ourselves into.” 

“Well it’s too bad yours never stuck around long enough for you to form a father-daughter bond, huh?” Ben grumbled, not quite under his breath. He’s just about heard enough about his family from her. 

Rey sobered up a little. “No need to be so _mean_ about it.” She reared back. She didn’t even realize she’d been slightly inclining her body towards Ben. He’d taken up the driver’s seat while Rey had taken residence of the passenger’s side, feet comfortably propped up on the dashboard.

Ben huffed. “Sorry, can we just –let’s talk about something else, yeah?” 

Rey conceded. 

A few more hours ticked by. 

The bottle was close to empty now, just a few sips left. Rey’ was feeling a little bit stupid, a little bit brave, and a little bit _horny_ . She has never really been the graceful kind of drunk. And you know what? Yes, she can admit it to herself. Ben Solo wasn’t entirely _un_ attractive. Sure, he wasn’t what you’d call _conventionally handsome_ . He’s got a big nose, ears that stick out prominently by the sides of his face (a great source of insecurity on his part, she should know. She’d used it as verbal ammo aplenty in the past), but it somehow all works? Sometimes she was surprised just by _how much it works_.

Plus, he was built like a brickhouse and that made up quite adequately. She’d guiltily caught herself staring at his pale torso the handful of times he’d taken his shirt off when it had gotten too hot in their expeditions. Her eyes had travelled from his chest down to the wiry hairs travelling _down, down_ the ‘v’ of his pelvis. Yes, he wasn’t _bad-looking_ , per se. And it wasn't like she can be blamed for gawking at him, anyway. It was either him or miles and miles of asphalt or forest trees, and she is easily bored. _Thoughts are very different from actions._ You couldn’t really help what you think, and besides, it was not like anything would come of her reluctant admiration (purely objective, mind you). Her thoughts were simply bad ideas that would ultimately result in nothing. He thought she was repulsive, she thought he was a sorry excuse for a human, _etcetera, etcetera_ . Once they were out of each other's hairs, Rey would entirely forget all about the dips and dives of Ben’s chest, and _then_ she'd go hook up with whomever the hell she damn well pleased. 

Now though, as the tequila is severely impairing Rey’s judgment and morality, the idea didn’t seem _too_ bad. Anyway, they were both adults, capable of making rational decisions. Also, it was basically the end of the world as they fucking know it, so why not, right?

She didn’t know what he was on about. Clearly, he was talking about something he was quite passionate about, arms flailing everywhere and mouth open mid-rant. She stared at it, his mouth. It was a pretty mouth. Quite aesthetically pleasing. It’s slick and shiny from where he’d licked it just seconds ago, it had probably gotten dry from all his overzealous complaining. 

“Is there something on my face?” 

“Hm.”

“What? Stop staring at me like that.” Ben shifted in his seat, tugged his collar a bit. “It’s freaking me out.” 

“I’m bored.” Rey leaned forward, suddenly eager. She got up all in his personal space. “I have an idea.”

“What.” Ben looked supremely apprehensive. He’d been watching her throughout the course of the night and she’d basically downed the bottle of tequila mostly by herself. He had a sneaking suspicion that her tiny body probably didn’t handle liquor all that well. 

“Let’s play Truth or Dare.” 

He huffed out an incredulous laugh. “What are you, _thirteen_?” he was sure Rey’s far from sober now. Her eyes were rather dilated, the black swallowing the browns of her irises.

“C'mon! It’ll be fun. Here, I’ll start. Ask me, go on, ask,” she tugged her bottom lip with her teeth, and Ben was distracted by it. That’s really quite unnecessary and she shouldn’t be doing it, lest she bite too hard and puncture the soft, pink skin. Shiny with her spit. He shook his head. Tried to clear his thoughts. Shifted a bit in his seat. _Is it hot in here?_ He was really quite uncomfortable. 

He rolled his eyes, but indulged her. “Fine. Truth or Dare?” 

“Dare.”

Ben looked around the car, trying to think what he can make her do. There’s not much, confined to the tiny space they’re in. He spied the mouldy, half-eaten donut on the dashboard, likely left there by the previous owner of the truck. He grinned, all evil-like, looking as a villain from a movie. “I dare you to take a bite out of that donut over there.” He was sure she wouldn’t do it, it’s positively _vile_.

Rey ofcourse, raised one eyebrow, smirked, and easily sank her teeth in the mouldy pastry. “Easy.”

Ben just about forced himself not to gag. He was known to be quite the drama queen sometimes. “You’re disgusting,” his face was scrunched up in horror and he was looking at Rey like she’d turned into a _Trooper_. 

Rey dusted off her hands and kept on chewing. The donut had the texture of styrofoam in her mouth but she hardly even tasted it. “My turn, Truth or Dare?” 

“Truth.”

Rey rolled her eyes so hard that she got a bit of whiplash. Admittedly, that mostly had to do with the alcohol currently in her system. “Typical Ben, always afraid of a bit of a challenge. C’mon, choose dare! I’ve got a good one.”

“I’m sorry, isn’t the game called _Truth_ or Dare, not _Dare_ or Dare?” 

“Technicalities.”

“It’s truth or nothing.”

“Fine,” Rey tapped her fingers against her chin, thinking.

She decided to test out the waters, start out easy so as not to spook him out. “Objectively speaking,” Ben raised both eyebrows at that, “and purely for curiosity’s sake, do you think my face,” Rey gestured to said face, “and general body...areas,” she swept her hand to gesture to her entire body, “to be aesthetically agreeable?”

Honestly, she was very sure that the answer was yes. Otherwise, even in her addled state, she wouldn’t’ve asked. She’d caught him looking at her a handful of times before. Apart from being the only human female that he’d remained exposed to for some time, she liked to think it is also because he found her somewhat appealing. Plus, she’d woken up once or twice with his erection prodding the small of her back in the early hours of the morning. So, whether he’s conscious of it or not, at least she knew his body found hers quite sufficient.

“ _What.”_ Rey thought that his statement was more of an expression, and less of a question, but she decided to repeat herself anyway. 

“I _said,_ do you find my _body_ pffft – ,” Ben decided that that time was perfect to cover her mouth with the palm of his hand. 

“I heard you clear the first time, thanks.”

As his hand was still covering her mouth, disabling her from making an adequate response, Rey darted out her tongue and gave a firm, hard, _lick._

Ben reared his hand back in disgust. He looked at her as though she’d sprouted a second head. “What on _earth_ has gotten into you?” he enunciated this part, albeit very condescendingly, “You know what? Nevermind. I think you’ve had enough of this and we should both go to bed – ,” he reached to where the bottle of tequila lay, underneath the passenger’s seat by Rey’s feet. 

“Wait, wait – what are you _doing_?” And even though she was drunk, Rey’s reflexes were still better than Ben’s. She snatched the bottle first before he did. “I found that first, and by rights it’s _mine_ .” To prove her point, she stared him right in the eye and chugged the last little bit of whatever was left in the bottle. She tossed it in the backseat and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She smacked her lips, _once_ , _twice_ . “Just answer the damn question, Solo. Don’t be such a pansy about it.” Rey waved her hand about her face. “I won’t take it personally, I _promise_.” 

“Why do you even want to know?” Ben swallowed the lump in his throat and Rey’s eyes followed the bob of his Adam’s apple, though he didn't notice. He seemed a bit too preoccupied with trying to figure out how to best answer her question. 

Rey shrugged, all _casual-like_ , even though her heart was beating double time. “I don’t know, I’m just curious about it. I mean, you _are_ a boy,” Ben looked indignant from her need to point out this fact and he puffed out his chest just the tiniest bit, “so I’d like to hear it from your point of view. Call it, _professional research_ , if you want.” There. That sounded like a good excuse, right? 

Ben rubbed the back of his neck, and sweat beaded on his upper lip. He tried to nonchalantly wipe it away, as he put his hand up to his mouth, looking like he had to think really hard about her question. He already damn well knew what the answer is for fuck’s sake.

“I ngh–,” his voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried a second time. “I think, impartially speaking, ofcourse,” Rey was impatient and moved her hands in the universal gesture of ‘let's _keep this moving_ ’, “that you are – uhm, that is to say – you are perfectly, erm, fit.” His eyes were landing everywhere but in her direction. He reached underneath him and found the lever to adjust the amount of space available on the driver’s side. He pulled the seat back all the way. Ben, all of a sudden, felt absolutely _claustrophobic_ . Itchy with the need to move, to _run_. Seeing as he couldn’t do the latter, he settled for stretching out his legs and by cracking his neck, trying to get the cricks out.

Rey, however, was feeling pretty damn smug. “Well,” Ben chanced a glance her way. “That wasn’t so bloody hard, was it?” Now that she was a hundred-percent sure that Ben wouldn’t entirely be opposed to the ill-advised plan she had concocted inside her head, she barreled on. “Okay!” she rubbed her hands together, “It’s my turn again, isn’t it?”

Ben grumbled something unintelligible.

“Hit me with it, Solo.” 

He supposed there was nothing else to be done but to tire her out. Although that looked like it wouldn’t be happening for a while. Reluctantly, he asked, “Truth or Dare?”

“Dare.” 

Ben gave her a dirty look, “Ofcourse.” Inadvertently, his gaze was drawn to her hair in its usual three-bun hairstyle. He had never seen her without her hair up. It’s always been in ponytails, plaits or in its infamous style right now. He wondered what she’ll look like with her hair out, framing her heart-shaped face. He guessed this was as perfect a time as any to find out. “I dare you to put your hair down.” 

Rey stared at Ben in disbelief. “Are you _joking_? Your dare can’t be that stupid _easy_.” 

“Just do it.”

Rey continued to stare at him incredulously, but sat up so she could reach behind her to undo her buns. _Whatever_ , she thought. If he wanted to waste his dare on such a mundane thing, it didn’t really matter to her. Once she was done, she ran her hands through her locks and looked up to find Ben staring. Very intently. It was kind of unnerving, and she couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious. She hasn’t washed it in _days_ because they haven’t been able to find a proper place to crash in a while, thus, showers became unattainable. Ways of cleaning themselves up has been interesting and experimental, to say the least. 

“Ahem.” Ben shook himself from a daze to stare at Rey. “Truth or Dare? And keep in mind to try and spice things up a bit, Ben,” she made a show of yawning exaggeratedly. “I am getting quite _bored_.” 

“Fine. Dare.” 

“Kiss me.”

If Ben had been drinking something, he would’ve choked on it then he might’ve spit the whole thing out, all in dramatic fashion. As it were, he _wasn’t_ drinking anything, so he simply choked on his own saliva. He hunched forward in his seat and slammed his hand down on his chest, repeatedly. He also wheezed, for effect. 

Rey was amused. She made no move to help him, as she had grown used to his propensity for the dramatics.

Once he’d calmed himself down, his body stayed hunched. His arms were crossed, leaning on top of the steering wheel. “I’m just going to assume that the tequila fucked with your head and I’ll also do us both a favour and forget that you ever said what you said.”

Ben felt something tugging his arm though, and he reluctantly came out of hiding to peer up at Rey. 

“Ben, come on. Why don’t you live a little, yeah? This’ll be fun.” 

“Fun for _whom_ , exactly? You’re drunk out of your mind and in the morning, you’ll kick me in the nuts for letting you go through with this.”

“First of all, I am not _that_ drunk. Secondly, you’re not _letting_ me do anything,” she tipped her chin up slightly. Indignant. “I’m well capable of making rational and _adult_ decisions on my own, thank you very much.” 

“Where _exactly_ is this coming from? First, you ask me if I think you’re attractive. Next, you’re daring me to kiss you.” He shook his head. “Have I been imagining the last years of our lives, then? Where, oh, I don’t know –we’ve _hated_ each other’s guts?” Ben widened his eyes a bit, willing Rey to see reason. Even though a small (big) part of him wanted the opposite. _Why,_ exactly, he was fighting against this so hard was well beyond him. _Hasn’t he wanted this?_ For quite a while he’d wanted this. There was absolutely no reason why he _shouldn’t_ want this. Already, there was a voice in the back of his mind shouting _shut the fuck up_. 

“Us liking each other has nothing to do with it.” Rey leaned forward a bit more. “You don’t have to hold my hand afterwards or whisper sweet nothings in my ear, for fuck’s sake. I think we’re both mature enough to detach feelings from this, yeah?”

He watched, in a trance, as Rey put one leg over the center console, and then the other. Her knees on either side of his legs, now straddling him. 

She put both of her hands on either side of his shoulders. “Look, we can just give it a go.” She shrugged. “And if it turns out that we don’t like it, we’ll stop. If it sucks, we can forget all about it. Agree?”

Ben might’ve nodded. He didn’t really know if he had control over his body anymore. He felt like he’s watching this all unfold from an outsider’s perspective.

“Okay, so –uhm, maybe – here,” Rey guided his hands and put them on her hips. She leaned forward, bit her teeth, and let out a shaky breath. That hitch in her breathing suddenly told Ben that maybe he wasn’t the only one completely nervous about this _insane_ thing they’re about to do. Strangely, it gave him the boost of confidence he needed to grab the back of her head and push her toward him.

Their lips crashed together. It was kind of anticlimactic, Rey thought a bit forlornly. 

Both of their eyes were wide open. Staring at each other over their glued lips.

But then, Ben closed his eyes and brought up both of his palms to cradle Rey’s face. He rubbed his thumb back and forth, easing the tenseness in her jaw, coaxing her mouth to open. He slipped his tongue inside of her parted lips and she let out the quietest puff of breath and the tiniest sliver of a moan. 

That sound acted as some sort of catalyst, because then it was like their lips can’t get enough of the other’s. Rey grabbed a handful of Ben’s hair and tilts his head further back, chasing his mouth with her own. Their tongues moulded haphazardly against one another’s and their teeths clashed, unpracticed but eager, nonetheless. After what felt like minutes (or hours, she’s not so sure), Rey pulled back to catch a breath. A line of spittle connected their mouths, but broke as Rey licks her lips. Ben opened his eyes and looked at Rey, then at where his mouth had just been a minute ago. Her lips were red and swollen, _wet_. They were both panting. 

“That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” 

Ben rolled his eyes and brought her head back down to meet his.

They went more slowly this time. Ben gently nipped at Rey’s bottom lip, tugged it forward, and then let go. He slid his tongue over the bruised area and sucked it into his mouth. 

Rey liked that. She liked it alot. There had been a steady stream of butterflies coiling around her lower abdomen, building throughout the events of tonight, but the feeling appeared with a vengeance right then. She placed her hands on the back of Ben’s headrest, and grinded her hips down on his right thigh, trying to alleviate the tension. She whimpered as the inside lining of her jean shorts rubbed her right _there._

Ben let go of Rey’s face to put his hands back on her hips, helped her guide her pelvis up, then brought it back down. Rubbed her crotch _harder_ against his thigh. Does it _again_ and _again_ and _again._ The only sound in the truck now was their heavy breathing and the _squelch_ of Rey’s soaked underwear. 

She felt like she was on the brink, on the edge of something _wonderful_. She felt like she’d die if they stopped. Just then, Ben stopped. And Rey, well, she made a sound she’d never made before. She growled. “Why’d you stop?!”

One of his hands tentatively moved to the button of her shorts. He fiddled with it and looked up at her from beneath his lashes. “Can I?” 

Rey didn’t think she could get anymore turned on, but then she did. She frantically nodded her assent, lifted herself up from her position on his thighs to try and shimmy out of her bottoms. Ben held the small of her back, careful not to let her accidentally push against the honk on the steering wheel (what a mood killer that would be). She tossed both her jean shorts and her ruined underwear in the back, settling herself against him again. He’s staring at _it_.

And well, in the middle of an apocalypse, Rey really hasn’t got the time to _shave_ or anything. Suddenly, a barrage of questions flew through her mind, making her second-guess the entire situation. _Does he think it looks gross? Is the smell off putting? I really should have kept my underwear on, at least_ . Then, Ben looked up and Rey saw that his pupils were blown wide. He pushed her back down for a kiss, slid his hand over her stomach, down to the apex in between her thighs. He pulled back from their kiss, and instead looked down to watch his hand. Meanwhile, Rey wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tucked her head under his neck, more nervous than ever before. Rey never had anyone else touch her _down_ there, _ever._ Except herself, ofcourse. 

Ben licked his lip. “You have to tell me what you like, okay?” 

Rey nodded, grabbed his hand and guided two of his fingers to her clit and _rubs_ . Ben hisses, “ _Fuck_ , you’re so _wet_ .” Rey guided his fingers to swirl at the nub, pressing harder. She gave a little hiccup and let go to grab the nape of Ben’s neck for balance. She felt like she might topple over if she didn’t get a grip of something. Ben’s fingers glided over her slit, kept his thumb pressed against her nub, rubbed _faster_ , rubbed _harder._ With his other hand, Ben pushed the strap of Rey’s tank top and bra down, immediately sucking her pert nipple into his mouth. 

Rey let out a wordless scream, her voice cracking. She grinded herself more vigorously on his hand. “Ben –I need– more, _please_ . I– ” She didn’t entirely know what she was asking for, but apparently Ben did. He popped her nipple out of his mouth, gave it a broad lick and then stuck _one_ , _two_ fingers inside of her. “ _Yes, yes.”_ Rey pulled herself up, then pushed back down. Again and again, fucking herself on his hand. 

Ben’s stopped all he’s doing to just _watch_ . All this feels so _surreal._ He moved his fingers to match her rhythm. “Please Rey, _c’mon_. _Please_ ,” the sounds echoing inside the truck were positively lewd. “Please, I’ll give you anything. _Anything_ , please.” 

In answer, Rey’s walls pulsed, squeezed itself on Ben’s fingers. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. Her own fingers have never achieved anything near something like this. 

After they both caught their breaths, Rey cleared her throat a bit. “So, that was nice. Erm – I, uhm – thank you?” she shifted in her perch “Do I need to – that is to say –do you want the favour returned?”

Ben’s fingers were still inside of her, so he pulled them out. She cringed a bit at the wet sound it made. “Uhm, no. No, thank you.” She looked at him quizzically. “There’s uhm –no need. But, thanks. For asking, I mean.”

 _No need?_ Rey was only confused until she looked down and saw a wet patch on the front of his trousers. _Ah._

She looked back up and smiled sleepily at him. Still, admittedly, quite intoxicated. “Do you mind?”

“Do I mind what?”

She yawned, for real this time. “I’m _tired_ and am too lazy to move,” she wiggled a bit and decided to get comfortable. Apparently, her lack of clothing from the waist down didn’t bother her at all. She settled her head against his chest and after about a few minutes, he heard her snoring away.

Ben didn’t really know if he could ever sleep in this position, but he wouldn’t dare wake up this particular sleeping dragon. Also, it didn’t help that he was getting hard again.

He let his arms drop at his sides, and looked up at the truck’s ceiling. Lets out a heavy sigh.

He started to count imaginary sheep, all to keep his dirty thoughts away from the half-naked girl sleeping on his lap.

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is a two-shot
> 
> also, sorry about the tenses and the general messiness. I’ve got no beta ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> comments are much appreciated! pls be nice, this is my first fic in quite some time :)


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